Mar 8, 1908 Cheyenne, WY
Still in the lead, Monty departed from the crew returning back east to run in the Briarcliff Race. It was in Cheyenne that George Schuster took total charge of the Thomas as driver. Given $500 for expenses by the factory representative Mr. Morse, he saw George only carried a Savage pistol in his jacket. Morse then ordered George to “get a real gun and carry it in a holster” for protection. George purchased a Colt revolver and then carried two!
June 29, 2018
Had a bit of delay in getting Day 11 posted. We encountered some mechanical issues which is not unusual in 90 year old vehicles on a 3,500 mile run! I had electrical issues, and John had 2 flat tires both on the right rear (the same side that was a problem for the Thomas Flyer).
It was a long 9 hour drive from Cheyenne as we headed west for Evanston, but well worth it. We were met by the Unita County Sheriff’s mounted unit. An impressive sight, as well as the Rodeo Princess very similar to the welcome the Flyer received in March of 1908! We were escorted with the horses in front down to the center of town. Johnny and his crew arranged a car show, complete with music and perfect weather. The museum exhibited several 1908 photos, which lined their windows.
We were invited to share the story of the Thomas as it passed through Evanston 110 years ago at the beautifully restored Strand Theater. Then it was off to the Main Street Deli, where Stephanie served up an amazing prime rib dinner. A cowboy thick slice of prime Wyoming beef, we literally cut with a fork!
Wyoming has been a truly memorable experience, with a warm Western Welcome at every stop. As we recap the highlights at the end of our journey across America to San Francisco, we will feature many more of the spectacular images in a special BLOG edition!